Avoid the BIOS limitation of 1.5 GBS (SATA I) of laptop with ICH8M chipset

[Trinity]

Hi guys. I’m trying to remove the limit of 1.5 GBS (SATA 1) of ICH8M chipset my laptop (Dell vostro 1700) with windows 7 64 bit. The limit is imposed by the BIOS. Using Linux is not limited. In the WDK 7.1 is msahci.sys source code. In it I’ve seen where reads and writes the register with the speed limitations of SATA devices. I have modded and compiled with a test certificate. Tonight I’ll try it on my laptop. If it works, does anyone know how to get a certificate? Or someone to certify? The changes are minimal to add: sctl.SPD = 0; // No Speed restrictions
Before calling the function: AtaPortWriteRegisterUlong

Excuse my English.

[Fernando]

@ Trinity:
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum!

@Trinity

I’m trying to remove the limit of 1.5 GBS (SATA 1) of ICH8M chipset my laptop (Dell vostro 1700) with windows 7 64 bit. The limit is imposed by the BIOS. Using Linux is not limited. In the WDK 7.1 is msahci.sys source code. In it I’ve seen where reads and writes the register with the speed limitations of SATA devices. I have modded and compiled with a test certificate. Tonight I’ll try it on my laptop.

We look forward to your test results.

If it works, does anyone know how to get a certificate? Or someone to certify?

Unfortunately I cannot help you with this.

Regards
Dieter (alias Fernando)

[elisw]

Hi,
I did successfully manage to remove the limit on my Lenovo X61T ICH8M with a modded BIOS (the so-called Middleton BIOS) and now it runs at SATA II speed.
Hope you 'll also succeed.

[e.v.o]

Do you know what was changed in the BIOS?

[Trinity]

I tried to disassemble the bios of my Dell Vostro 1700 but I could not. I think the driver is more likely, it is less risky and help more people. The msahci.sys mod that I did not work out. I’ll try with the latest version of the WDK and the last msahci.sys source code.